Ronan Hale's wait for Northern Ireland switch goes on as Michael O'Neill names Nations League squad

Ronan Hale's wait for his international transfer to Northern Ireland to be ratified goes on.

Michael O'Neill revealed FIFA are still processing the Ross County striker's switch from the Republic of Ireland as he named his squad for the forthcoming Nations League double-header against Belarus and Luxembourg.

O'Neill said the situation was out of the hands of the Irish FA with Hale now having to wait until March at the earliest to make his debut.

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"I couldn't tell you how close it is," said O'Neill. "It's an administration process, it's not like we get updates or can check online. The governing body, which is FIFA, has to ratify the transfer, it's not a UEFA matter.

"We're in constant contact but sending an email every three days won't make it any quicker, it's not that type of situation. All the paperwork is there with FIFA but, as I said many times, this won't happen quickly.

"Unfortunately he's not eligible for us to consider. We could bring him into camp but that would be to the detriment of somebody else who is eligible for us at this point in time. That's the right thing to do.

"The most important thing is when he does come in, what determines how a player does at international level is their club form. He has to continue what he's been doing at club level.

"At the weekend he was on the bench and did well in the second half. Jimmy Nicholl was at the game, so we are watching him. He's a player we are looking at to come into the squad, so we continue to do that. Unfortunately due to the rules we can't pick him right now."

O'Neill is hoping to finish the group strongly following the 5-0 win over Bulgaria last month. He is without key defensive duo Paddy McNair and Eoin Toal, who are expected to be out until Christmas. Daniel Ballard returns to the squad and O'Neill has handed a first call-up to Brighton teenager Ruairi McConville.

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"It's always nice to finish top of anything," said O'Neill. "We're under no illusions, we're playing in League C and it would give us the opportunity to play in League B next time, which would probably increase our chances of a Play-Off situation for 2028, which are always factors.

"We want to build on it each time. We've had a lot of positive camps, probably none more so than October, and we have to try and replicate that come November."

Northern Ireland squad: Goalkeepers – Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Luke Southwood (Bolton Wanderers).

Defenders – Jamal Lewis (Sao Paulo, on loan from Newcastle United), Daniel Ballard (Sunderland), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Brodie Spencer (Huddersfield Town), Kofi Balmer (Motherwell), Ruairi McConville (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Midfielders – George Saville (Millwall), Jordan Thompson (Stoke City), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Southampton), Isaac Price (Standard Liege), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ross McCausland (Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Leyton Orient), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Caolan Boyd-Munce (St Mirren).

Forwards - Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Callum Marshall (Huddersfield Town, on loan from West Ham United), Jamie Reid (Stevenage), Lee Bonis (ADO Den Haag).

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